A turkey dinner is really about the sides. Build your plate around one potato, one bread, one or two vegetables, a cranberry something, and a make-ahead salad, and the table takes care of itself.
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Here are 22 of my go-to sides, sorted so you can build a full menu in about five minutes.
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Potato Sides
You need at least one. Here are five ways to do it.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Cream Cheese
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
Duchess Potatoes (Piped Mashed Potatoes)
Cabbage and Potatoes (Colcannon - Irish Mashed Potatoes)
Stuffing, Bread, and Other Starches
The other half of the starch lineup, plus the pan you can make ahead and just bake.
Easy Gluten Free Stuffing (Dairy Free)
Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls (Bread Machine or By Hand)
Sourdough Dinner Rolls
Corn Casserole (Fresh, Frozen or Canned Corn)
Green Vegetables
Something green cuts through all the richness on the table.
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Buttery Lemon Garlic Green Beans
Garlic Sauteed Green Beans
Creamy Brussel Sprouts Recipe
Sweet and Roasted Vegetables
The sweeter side of the table, plus a simple roasted vegetable tray.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows
Twice Baked Sweet Potato With Bacon And Cheese
Roasted Beets and Carrots
Cranberry, Relish, and Sauces
Skip the can, or don't, but these take about ten minutes either way.
No Cook Orange Cranberry Walnut Relish
Cranberry Orange Sauce (with Mandarin Oranges)
Make-Ahead Salads and Starters
Serve cold or room temperature so one less thing needs the oven.
Chopped Apple Kale Salad
Quinoa Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
Healthy Kale Caesar Salad
Million Dollar Deviled Eggs
My Best Tips for Planning Turkey Day Sides
More sides than oven space is the real Thanksgiving math problem. Here is how I solve it.
- Count your oven space before you count recipes. Most ovens fit two dishes at once, maybe three if you are strategic. Pick one or two that need the oven and make everything else stovetop, slow cooker, or served cold.
- Make one thing the night before. Cranberry sauce, a salad, or an assembled casserole (unbaked) all hold overnight in the fridge. That is one less thing standing between you and dinner.
- Serve at least one cold dish. A kale salad or a relish needs zero oven time and adds contrast to a table full of warm, soft food.
- Reheat casseroles covered, then uncover at the end. Covering keeps them from drying out; pulling the foil for the last 10 minutes gets the top crisp again.
- Double the gravy. Nobody has ever complained about too much gravy. Everybody runs out of gravy.
Turkey Day Sides FAQs
How many sides do I need for Thanksgiving?
Plan on five to seven for a group of eight to twelve: one potato, one bread or starch, two vegetables, a cranberry sauce, and a salad.
What sides can be made a day ahead?
Cranberry sauce, salads, and assembled-but-unbaked casseroles all hold well overnight. Roast vegetables and mashed potatoes are best the day of, though mashed potatoes reheat fine with a splash of milk.
What is the most popular Thanksgiving side dish?
Mashed potatoes, followed closely by stuffing and some form of green bean casserole.
Before You Go
Once the sides are sorted, lock in the main event with How Long to Cook a Turkey, and plan the day with Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes.
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